From a service last night led in part by Susan V., a Blacksburg pastor, (and a fellow grad of Crusty Old Theological Seminary):

“We gather in this place in a very, very dark day in our community…We gather in this place to surround one another in God’s love — God’s love that knows no end. We gather in this place to proclaim light in the darkest of days….
“Death has come trundling into our life, a sudden and savage entity laying waste to our hearts and making desolate our minds…We need now the consolation only You can give.”


From Fred Phelps' Westboro Baptist Church...

"WBC will preach at the funerals of the Virginia Tech students killed on campus during a shooting rampage April 16, 2007. You describe this as monumental horror, but you know nothing of horror -- yet. Your bloody tyrant Bush says he is 'horrified' by it all. You know nothing of horror -- yet. Your true horror is coming. 'They shall also gird themselves with sackloth, and horror shall cover them; and shame shall be upon all faces, and baldness upon all their heads' (Eze. 7:18). Why did this happen, you ask? It's simple. Your military chose to shoot at the servants of God today, and all they got for their effort was terror. Then, the LORD your God sent a crazed madman to shoot at your children. Was God asleep while this took place? Was He on vacation? Of course not. He willed this to happen to punish you for assailing His servants."


Who is the Christian here? Blessings on all clergy of all faiths responding with such grace and love in Blacksburg and the surrounding communities. May human and divine authority peacefully intervene to prevent the Westboro hate-mongers from compounding the sufferings of those who mourn.